Budget figures changing, between school reform laws’ failure and H&W updates…

Legislative Budget Director Cathy Holland-Smith prefaced her presentation to the Legislative Council with a caveat: Many of the numbers will change from what she’s prepared. That’s because voters rejected the “Students Come First” school reform laws, meaning state Superintendent Tom Luna’s budget request for next year, which was based on those laws, will need a re-do. Plus, just last night, the state Department of Health & Welfare submitted a substantial budget revision, Holland-Smith said, one that likely will be positive. “We know caseloads are down somewhat,” she said.

Between those two factors - affecting the largest portions of Idaho’s state budget - “A substantial amount of the budget request will have to change,” Holland-Smith said.